Steering of cycles.



No. 679,56l. Patented My 30, I90l. J. T. M. HIRCUCK. STEERING OF'GYGLES.(Application filed Mar. 8, 1901.) (No Model.)

UNTTnD STATES PATENT GFFICE.

J OI-IN THOMAS MILSON HIRCOGK, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

STEERING OF CYCLES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 679,561, dated J'uly30, 1901.

Serial No. 50,409. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN THOMAS MILSON HIRCOOK, engineer, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at'3 Priestley road, Sparkbrook,Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented new anduseful Improvements in and Connected with the Steering of Cycles andother Machines, (for which I have applied for a patent in Great Britain,No. 13,586, dated July 28, 1900,) of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object improvements in and connected with thesteering of cycles and other machines, and particularly refers to theconnection of the head to the frame in that class of cycles having apair of steering-wheels mounted upon a cross-axle, by which I obviate aconsiderable amount of the strain or leverage at the point of suchconnection and at the same time convey the weight to the axle in aperfect vertical direction instead of an inclined direction, asheretofore, thus reducing any undue strain upon the axle steering-headand frame connection thereto.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easilycarried into practice, I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings,upon which I have fully illustrated the nature of my said improvements.

Figure 1 is a view showing the class of tricycles to which myimprovements are applicable. Fig. 2 is avertical section through theconnection between the frame and axle. Fig. 3 is an elevation of theaxle connection and part of frame connected therewith. Fig. 4 is anelevation of the part of the frame which is made detachable, ashereinafter described. Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 4.

My improvements refer to the class of tricycles illustrated in Fig. 1,consisting of the rear driving-wheel E, supporting the stays J, and pairof front steering-wheels F, the lat ter of which are connected togetherby the axle O, my invention consisting of the improved connectionbetween the frame B,which supports the seat-pillar II, and the axle O ofthe steeringwheels F. In carrying the same into effect I provide thevertical tubular head A A upon the axle C, such head consisting of theinner tubes 0. and a which are fixed to the collar 0 of the axle C withcones or cups a and a to form ball-bearings at the top and bottom ofboth parts AA of the head, which are thus mounted to turn upon theaforementioned tubes of and C0 The part A of the head and bottom stay Kare formed in one piece and are secured to the main frame at the bottomof the down-tube by the detachable lug 71: and screw-pin 70 the other orA end being attached to the axle O by the screw-nut a upon the innertube a by which means [the compression strain upon the member B is takenup by the tension of the part K, thus preventing any unequal strainsupon the steering-head and increasing the rigidity of the machine.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a cycle the combination of a transverse axle, a central collar forthe axle having upwardly and downwardly projecting studs, a verticaltubular head consisting of a sectional sleeve the ends of which areconnected to the cycle-frame, tubes within the sleeve rigidly fitted tothe studs of the collar, and antifriction-bearings between thesleeve-sections and inner tubes, substantially as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN THOMAS MILSON lllRCOCK.

W'itnesses:

LEWIS W. GooLD, WALTER H. BARTLAM.

